Oil-discharge heater



pl'ilv', R. s LANE OIL DISCHARGE HEATER Filed sept. 9, 1929 Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT S. LANE, OF WOOD RIVER, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD OIL COMPANY (IND), OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA OIL-DISCHARGE HEATER.

This invention relates to a heater for lowering the viscosity of liquids as they are removed from storage and it pertains particularly to a discharge heater for heavy oil storf* age tanks.

In refineries and other places, it is often necessary to store heavy viscous oils in tanks. At lower temperatures the oil is so resistant to flow that it can hardly be removed and it is impossible to handle this oil with ordinary pump apparatus. The object of my invention is to provide an oil discharge which will increase the rate of iiow and which will decrease viscosity so that the oil can be readily pumped and handled.

A further object is to prevent local overheating an'd discoloring'of oils such as was caused by the steam coils heretofore used.

A further object is to provide maximum thermal eiliciency, to utilize the heat most effectively, and to concentrate the heat in an oil discharge device instead of heating the entire content of the storage tank.

A further object is to facilitate installation and repair in case of leaks in the steam line caused by corrosion, expansion, and contraction, fault connections, etc.

Other o jects will be apparent as the detailed description of my invention proceeds.

The invention may be briefly characterized as a casing extending into the storage tank, the said casing having an oil inlet inside the tankv regulated by a control mounted outside `the tank, having an oil outlet exterior 'of the storage tank, and havinga heating means which may be inserted in or removed from the casing exterior of the storage tank. The heating means is preferably a series of steam coils, and the casing is preferably battled so that the oil from the storage tank rapidly moves over the steam coils without remaining-in contact long enough to become overheated.' Since the casing is in the storage tanks, no insulating means are required. Practically all of the heat is absorbed by the oil as it iows through the discharge heater and the small amount of heat dissipated will be absorbed by the oil adjacent to the heater before it enters the same, the temperature of the main body of the storage tank remaining unaffected.

My invention will be better understood from the detailed description of la preferred embodiment which I have described in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein similar parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the several views and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective of my oil discharge heater in a storage tank with parts broken away to show the mounting.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section of my improved discharge heater.

Figure 3 isa vertical section of the heater taken along the lines 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are similar vertical sections taken along the lines 4-4 and 5-5 respec tively of Figure 2.

The oil storage tank 10 has the usual fiat bottom 11 and vertical cylindrical sides 12. An oil dischar e heater 13 is mounted in tank 10, preferably y a riveted or welded connection 14. The casing 15 of the heater enters the side 12 of the tank at one end and is supported at its other end by a suitable bracket 16 which may be in the form of a metal strip bent to conform to casing 15 as shown in Figure`3.

The oil discharge heater consists of a cylindrical casing 15, closed at one end by a plate 17 which carries the inlet pipe 18. Pipe 18 is preferably very short and is closely coupled to regulating valve 19, leading to cold oil inlet 20 and regulated by a control 21 mounted outside of the storage tank and connected to the valve by a shaft 22 extending through tank wall 12.

The other end of the cylindrical casing 1 5 is provided with an annular flange 23, adapted to co-act with a plate 24 which may be removably secured thereto by suitable bolts or similar means. The outlet pipe 25 is Aadjacent ,to iiange 23 and is located outside of the storage tank 10.

A heatin unit is carried by plate 24 and inl the re erred embodiment consists of a series o steam coils 26, having their inlet 27 and outlet 28 extending through and ixedly secured to said plate 24. I also contemplate sov .fined by the use of baies 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33, arheater carried by said plate and removable ranged as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

From the above description the operation of my improved oil discharge heater will be apparent. Steam is passed through coils 26 to lower the viscosity of oil in casing 15. When control 21 is operated to open valve 19, the oil from storage tank 10 enters the dischar e heater through opening 20, and the hot uid iows from casing 15 and out of outlet 25. The discharged fiuid is relatively non-viscous; it flows very rapidly and is easily handled by the pumps.

It should be noted that the oil moves through the heater so rapidly that long contact with steam coils is avoided so that the oil is not overheated or discolored. It should be further noted that the temperature ofthe oil in storage tank 10 is relatively unaffected by the discharge heater and only the oil in the immediate vicinity of the heater is appreciably warmed. This warming preheats the oil before it is drawn into the cold oil inlet and I contemplate providing oil inlets at various places along the heater to take advantage of this preheating. For example: Instead of a valve 19 and an inlet opening 20, I may use a perforated casing for casing 15 land provide a co-acting perforated sleeve fitting over it and being connected to control 21, so that the discharge openings all around the periphery of the casing may be opened and closed.

It is also understood that I do not limit m self to steam heatin means or to the use o bales. I contemp ate the use of electric resistance units, the use of hot flue gases, etc., as equivalent to the steam heaterabove disclosed. The invention has been described as applicable to heavy or viscous oils, but it is equally applicable to any viscous liquids and particularly to liquids or semi-solid substances such as tar and asphalt. While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that I am not limited to the details set forth except as dethe following claims.

I claim:

1. In a discharge heater for use with a storage tank of viscous liquid, a casing adapted to enter said tank, a valved conduit between said casing and the interior of said tank, an outlet for said casing, spaced from said lconduit, heating means in said casing between said conduit and said outlet, and means for assuring intimate contact between the liquid and said heating means as the liquid passes through said casing.

2. In combination a casing, a wall for said casing having an aperture therein, means for selectively opening and closing said aperture, a flange and discharge pipe for said casing, said discharge pipe bein spaced from said a erture, a plate adapte to t against said ange for closing said casing, and a with said plate, said heater being positioned between said aperture and said discharge pipe in said casing.

Signed this thirty first day of August, 1929, at Vood River, Madison Co., Illinois.

ROBERT S. LANE. 

